Shifting and swinging roof assembly for railway car

ABSTRACT

A roof for a railway car which is adapted to be moved to an inverted discharging position by a rotary dumping mechanism, the roof having on opposite sides thereof a hook-shaped in-turned hook member and opposite upper sides of said car having outturned hook members, the roof being laterally shiftable relative to the car during rotation of said car in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction to an inverted position, the hook members on one side being interengaged in hinging relation during shifting of said roof and the other hook members being disengaged whereby said roof is moved to a vertical hanging position and the contents of the car are dumped.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1969 Sanjerset [72] Inventors Harold M.Schilf;

Benton Dean Homer, both of Birmingham, Ala.

3,461,818 105/377 3,493,131 2/1970 105/377 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. LaPoint Assistant Examiner--Richard A. Bertsch Attorneys-Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell ABSTRACT: A roof for a railway car which is adapted to be moved to an inverted discharging position by a rotary dumping mechanism, the roof having on opposite sides thereof a v hook-shaped in-tumed hook member and opposite upper sides of said car having out-turned hook members, the roof g rotation of e direction to [21] Appl. No. 862,820 [22] Filed Oct. 1, 1969 [45] Patented June 8, 1971 [73] Assignee Pullman Incorporated Chicago, Ill.

[54] SHIFTING AND SWINGING ROOF ASSEMBLY FOR RAILWAY CAR being laterally shiftable relative to the car durin 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

said ear in either clockwise or counterclockwis f .mnm gar f m m m b we a h 8 mm me u 2. n

an inverted position, the hook members on one side bein terengaged in hinging relation durin the other hook members being dise 105/377, 105/272, 105/281, 2l4/44(R) 861d 39/00 214 44; is moved to a verti car are dumped.

[51] Int. [50] Field of eal hanging position and the contents of the 16/147; 292/304; IDS/377, 281

PATENTEU JUN 8 I971 SHEET 1 OF 3 INVENTORS HAR M. SCHILF BENTON N HORNER M ATT'Y.

PATENTEU JUN 8197i $583,335

sum 2 [IF 3 5 i Q 5 INVENTORS HAROLD M. SCHILF BENTON DEAN HORNER PATENTEB JUN 8 l97| SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENTORS HAROLD M SCHILF BENTOwAN HORNER a 96m" Y.

SHIFTING AND SWINGING ROOF ASSEMBLY FOR RAILWAY CAR The roof also has provided thereon hoisting and locking members movable to a latched position over the open end of said car and to a hoist position whereby a crane sling may engage said hoisting members to move said roof free of said ear.

SUMMARY Open top or gondola type railway cars are capable of operation with rotary car dumpers which turn said cars into an upside down position thereby quickly unloading said car. Materials so dumped are generally not adversely affected by weather or exposure. However other types of eomminuted materials which might be adversely affected can be safely carried and the advantages of rotary dumping are obtained by the adaptation of the present roof to a gondola type car. The roof includes hooks on opposite sides thereof which are shiftably slidable on horizontal brackets disposed on opposite upper sides of the car, and which during the operation of rotating or inversion of said car, provide for hinging interengagement on one side, and disengagement on the other side, of complementary hooks on the car sides, whereby the roof is moved to an open position when said car is turned over.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a railway car dumper having operatively positioned therein a railway car including an im proved roof construction;

FIG. 2 is a crosssectional view through a railway car of an improved roof construction;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, showing a portion of a railway car rotated toward a dumping position;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a portion of a railway car being moved toward an inverted position with a roof in a partially open position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a roof in a partially hoisted position away from the upper opening ofa railway car;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a hoisting and locking member applied to one side of an improved roof construction;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a detail cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. I, a railway car 10 includes opposite sidewalls 11 and end walls 12. The sidewalls l1 and end walls 12 define an opening at the upper end to provide a discharge opening. Thus the railway car 10 may be of a gondola type or may be a conventional open top hopper car having an improved roof structure which is generally designated by the reference character 13. The structure 13 comprises a car roof 14 consisting of a horizontal sheet 15 extending substantially the length and width of the car 10. The horizontal sheet 15 also is provided with suitable vertical end walls 16 at opposite ends thereof, one of which is best shown in FIG. I.

A turn over or rotary railway car dumper is generally designated by the reference character 17 and may be of con ventional design. The car dumper 17 forms no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable construction wherein the railway car can be rotated into an inverted or upside down position to permit material to be dumped through the discharge opening formed by the sidewalls 11 and end walls 12 of the car 10. A receiving opening or suitable receptacle or storage means is indicated at 18 through which the material may be dumped as it is discharged from the car. In the embodiment shown, the dumper includes clamping arms 20 which suitably engage the sidewalls 11 in clamping relation at opposite ends of the car 10 so that rotary movement is effected to provide for inversion of the car.

Upper hinge members 21 are disposed on opposite sides of the roof 14 and lower hinge members 22 are suitably connected to angle brackets 26 which have vertical flanges 27 in turn suitably supported on the upper ends of the side walls 11. The angle brackets 26 also include a horizontal wall 28 having a downwardly turned flange or web 29.

Each of the upper hinge members 21 comprises a vertical wall 24 extending substantially the length of the roof sheet 15 and includes an inwardly turned hook member 25 which is suitably seated on a horizontal surface provided by the horizontal wall 28. Each of the lower hinge members 22 is provided with an arcuate or hook-shaped outwardly turned flange 31 which in the position shown in FIG. 6 is disposed in over lapping relation relative to the hook-shaped flange 25. One or more side plate braces 32 are suitably connected to the vertical walls 11, 27 and 30 to reinforce the structure as desired. A plurality of locating and guide brackets 33 are suitably connected to the vertical wall 30 of the hook-shaped flange 31 and each is provided with a V-shaped groove or recess 34. As best shown in FIG. 8, the grooves 34 may each be engaged by a V-shaped guide element 35 suitably connected to the underneath side of the roof sheet 15 at opposite laterally spaced ends of said sheet which position and guide the roof in lateral shifting movement as will be presently described.

A plurality of hoisting and locking members 36 of U-shaped configuration include a central member 37 having legs 38, one of which is pivotally connected to hinge brackets 39 posi tioned on the vertical walls 24 of the hinge members 21. The brackets 39 project outwardly with respect to the walls 24 and a hinge pin 40 suitably hingcdly connects the members 36 to the roof 14.

THE OPERATION In operation the railway car shown in FIG. 1 is suitably placed in the rotary car dumper I7 and is rotated to a completely inverted or upside down position whereupon the cargo is dumped through the opening 18 of a pit or other storage means which may be provided.

In the transit position, as shown in FIG. 2, the roof is so positioned that the hooks 25 and 31 are in slightly overlapping relation and thus are centered. In this position the roof cannot be moved substantially upwardly since interengagement of the hooks 25 and 31 provides disengagement. Each hoisting and locking member 36 is so positioned that one of the legs 38 is disposed underneath and inwardly of each web or flange 29. In this position therefore the locking members also maintain the roof in a substantially latched position and function to prevent dislocation of the roof. Since the roof has substantial weight it is not easily displaced or moved in an upward direction relative to the angle brackets 26 during train operation.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the in-turned hook-shaped flanges 25 are supported on the flat horizontal surfaces provided by brackets 26 and the roof is capable of shifting laterally in sliding relation relative to said brackets to several positions.

In FIG. 3, the car dumper has rotated the railway car approximately and the roof therefore has by gravity moved downwardly so that the uppermost wall 24 is supported on the uppermost hook 21. The lowermost hook members 25 and 31 are disengaged and the member 36 has been moved to disen gaged position relative to the bracket 26.

As rotation of the car 10 continues, as indicated in FIG. 4, towards its completely inverted position the roof now is hingedly supported by means of the uppermost hook-shaped members 25, 31 which are in hinging engagement and the roof 14 maintains a vertical position free of the discharge opening of the railway car.

After the material has been discharged the rotary dumper returns the car to its upright position but in so doing rotates the car slightly beyond the completely upright position whereby the roof may again be suitably centered into the position shown in FIG. 2 which is the closed or transit position.

The brackets 33 and V-shaped guide elements 35 permit the lateral shifting movement of the roof as desired and guides said roof to maintain the same in proper relation over the upper end of the car during the shifting movement. Also the brackets 33 and guide elements 35 prevent any longitudinal shifting of the roof relative to the railway car proper.

In FIG. 5 the hoisting and locking members 36 have been moved to a position where they can be suitably engaged by means of a chain sling 41 cooperating with a suitable crane or hoisting mechanism (not shown). This permits the roof to be lifted from the discharge opening for loading purposes at the point of shipment or in the event the material is to be discharged by some other means.

What we claim:

I. A railway car having laterally spaced vertical sidewalls providing an upper discharge opening during inversion of said car, a roof construction supported on said walls comprising a roof including a roof sheet disposed over said opening, first hinge members connected to opposite edges of said sheet, each first hinge member including a vertical wall having a lower inturned hook-shaped flange, second hinge members connected to said sidewalls, each including a vertical wall having an upper hook-shaped flange disposed above said in turned flanges, a bracket connected to each sidewall adjacent an upper end thereof, said brackets having horizontal surfaces slidingly engaged by said lower hook-shaped flanges supporting said roof for relative lateral shifting movement, said inturned and outtumed flanges in a substantially upright position being in relative overlapping relation, said roof during inversion of said railway car being shiftable relative to said opening whereby the hinge members on one sidewall engage each other in hooked-together hinging relation and said other hinge members are positioned in relatively spaced-apart relation to permit opening movement of said roof relative to said discharge opening 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

including locating means comprising first guide elements supported on said sidewalls and extending vertically toward said roof sheet, and

second guide elements engageable with said first guide elements in relative sliding movement, said locating means supporting said roof against relative longitudinal move ment with respect to said discharge opening.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2,

said first guide elements each including a recess in which each second guide element is disposed.

4. A railway car having laterally spaced vertical sidewalls, providing an upper discharge opening during inversion of said car, a roof construction supported on said walls comprising a roof sheet disposed over said opening, first hinge members connected to opposite edges of said sheet, each first hinge member including a vertical wall having a lower in-turned arcuate flange, second hinge members connected to said sidewalls each including a vertical wall having an upper outturned arcuate flange disposed above said in-turned flanges, said roof being supported for relative lateral shifting movement, said in-turned and out-turned flanges in an upright position of said car being in relative overlapping relation, a member each having an arm movably connected to said roof on opposite sides thereof adjacent a first hinge member, a bracket connected to each of said sidewalls, said arms being movable into engageable relation with said brackets for retaining said roof in a closed position, said roof during inversion of said railway car being shiftable relative to said opening whereby the hinge members on one side wall engage each other in interengaging hinging relation and said other hinge members are relatively positioned to permit opening movement of said roof relative to said discharge opening.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4,

said brackets each including a horizontal portion projecting outwardly from said sidewalls, and

said arms each including a finger in the engageable position being disposed horizontally below and in vertical alignment with said bracket.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5,

said arms extending horizontally in one position and said fingers extending vertically, and said arms providing means engageable by hoist means whereby said roof may be displaced vertically from said discharge opening. 

1. A railway car having laterally spaced vertical sidewalls providing an upper discharge opening during inversion of said car, a roof construction supported on said walls comprising a roof including a roof sheet disposed over said opening, first hinge members connected to opposite edges of said sheet, each first hinge member including a vertical wall having a lower inturned hook-shaped flange, second hinge members connected to said sidewalls, each including a vertical wall having an upper hook-shaped flange disposed above said in-turned flanges, a bracket connected to each sidewall adjacent an upper end thereof, said brackets having horizontal surfaces slidingly engaged by said lower hook-shaped flanges supporting said roof for relative lateral shifting movement, said in-turned and out-turned flanges in a substantially upright position being in relative overlapping relation, said roof during inversion of said railway car being shiftable relative to said opening whereby the hinge members on one sidewall engage each other in hooked-together hinging relation and said other hinge members are positioned in relatively spaced-apart relation to permit opening movement of said roof relative to said discharge opening.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including locating means comprising first guide elements supported on said sidewalls and extending vertically toward said roof sheet, and second guide elements engageable with said first guide elements in relative sliding movement, said locating means supporting said roof against relative longitudinal movement with respect to said discharge opening.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said first guide elements each including a recess in which each second guide element is disposed.
 4. A railway car having laterally spaced vertical sidewalls, providing an upper discharge opening during inversion of said car, a roof construction supported on said walls comprising a roof sheet disposed over said opening, first hinge members connected to opposite edges of said sheet, each first hinge member including a vertical wall having a lower in-turned arcuate flange, second hinge members connected to said sidewalls each including a vertical wall having an upper out-turned arcuate flange disposed above said in-turned flanges, said roof being supported for relative lateral shifting movement, said in-turned and out-turned flanges in an upright position of said car being in relative overlapping relation, a member each having an arm movably connected to said roof on opposite sides thereof adjacent a first hinge member, a bracket connected to each of said sidewalls, said arms being movable into engageable relation with said brackets for retaining said roof in a closed position, said roof during inversion of said railway car being shiftable relative to said opening whereby the hinge members on one side wall engage each other in interengaging hinging relation and said other hinge members are relatively positioned to permit opening movement of said roof relative to said discharge opening.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said brackets each including a horizontal portion projecting outwardly from said sidewalls, and said arms each including a finger in the engageable position being disposed horizontally below and in vertical alignment with said bracket.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 5, said arms extending horizontally in one position and said fingers extending vertically, and said arms providing means engageable by hoist means whereby said roof may be displaced vertically from said discharge opening. 